Float On
by rhombus
Summary: Kyle and Oliver and Llantano Lake. College-era. For Kish Fest 2010.


Written for Kish Fest 2010

* * *

**Float On**

"Hurry up, will ya?"

Oliver scowled at the back of Kyle's head and pedaled faster, trying to keep up. It wasn't fair. Oliver had gravity working against him on these hills, while Kyle just zoomed right on up like a little buzzing sprite on wheels.

"I'm... trying," he called out between heavy, strained breaths. "Are we almost there yet?"

Kyle swerved quickly onto the side of the road, his skidding wheels sending up billows of dust. It took Oliver a full minute to finally catch up with him.

"Why are we stopping?" he panted out.

With a shrug of the shoulders, Kyle simply said, "Need supplies." He gestured toward the small gas station and mini-mart they had parked their bikes in front of.

"Like what?"

Kyle smiled, then reached out a hand to smooth down Oliver's sleeve. Oliver quickly glanced left and right, making sure no one was around to witness the casual intimacy of Kyle's hand on his clothes. He knew Kyle had noticed, he could tell by the slight drop in his shoulders, but his face remained warm, smiling, teasing. "Well, since _someone _conveniently forgot to bring the beer..."

Oliver couldn't stop the whine from escaping his lips. "I told you. I'm one-hundred percent sure we're not allowed to have open bottles—"

He was cut off as Kyle suddenly sprang up, planting a quick kiss on Oliver's mouth. "Then we'll get cans," he said, and Oliver didn't know how it was possible for a person's whole face to wink, without actually winking, but Kyle had accomplished it.

And then Kyle was off. Oliver tried not to watch his retreating form too intently as he bounded toward the mini-mart, his bike carelessly abandoned. Figuring that meant he was on bike-watch duty, Oliver stayed where he was until Kyle emerged, a giant grin on his face. Which quickly turned sheepish once he noticed Oliver's displeasure at his purchase.

"They didn't have cans," Kyle said. "Actually, this was all they had." He studied the box with a scrunched nose. "I've never heard of it before. Apparently it's a local brew. Which means it might actually have flavor."

Oliver merely crossed his arms over his chest. "Where are you gonna put those while we ride?"

Kyle bit his lip and looked down at the ground, kicking a pebble. Half-lidded eyes flickered up to meet Oliver's gaze. "Your backpack?"

"Oh no. No no no. Uh-uh." Oliver swiped his arms through the air. "You bought them, you carry them. I've already got the blanket and both our towels. And how come you didn't bring a bag?"

Oliver tensed as Kyle sidled up to him, his hands and the beer clasped behind his back. "Well, now. I've got a big, strong man to do my carrying for me," Kyle whispered, his eyes gone impossibly round and dark, like a cartoon kitten. Oliver could see Kyle's arms twitching behind his back, knew he wanted to reach out and touch him, but held back this time, obviously trying not to press his luck.

Oliver blew the breath out of his cheeks and got back onto his bike. "There's no room in the bag. Just set the box on your lap or something."

He could feel Kyle's disappointment, rather that see it, but it came without the usual heavy chain of guilt weighing down his heart when he disappointed Kyle. This time, he felt... victorious. Kyle grumbled something under his breath then set about arranging the box so it wouldn't topple off as he pedaled.

It was much easier to keep up with Kyle now that he was bogged down by a lap-ful of beer.

A few minutes later, Oliver followed after Kyle as he turned off the main road and wound through a series of dirt paths cutting through a stand of tall, leafy trees. The air was clean and fresh after the late spring showers had swept through Llanview the week before.

Suddenly, they came upon a chain hung between two posts, surrounded on either side by a tall chain link fence, barring further entry.

"What now?" Oliver asked.

Kyle merely rolled his eyes, propped his bike up against a tree, and hopped over the chain. "Look what I can do, Ma!" he said in a mock-excited voice. "The lake's just down the hill, so it's easier to just leave the bikes and walk the rest of the way."

Oliver squinted his eyes, then noticed a posting hung on the chain link fence. "Kyle. I don't think we're supposed to be here."

The look on Kyle's face plainly stated the _Duh!_ left unsaid.

Oliver continued scanning the sign, unfazed by Kyle's disregard for rules. "It's a notice from the Mayor's office. This side of the lake is closed. For habitat restoration."

"Hey, he ain't my mayor. _I_ didn't vote for that close-minded, jackass repooplican."

"Kyle!" Oliver's mouth dropped open at Kyle's blatant disrespect for the office.

Kyle snorted, obviously pleased with himself. "Oh yeah. I forgot. I'm dating a repooplican."

Oliver tried not to, but he couldn't help but tense at the word _dating_, his shoulder muscles pinching inward, his fists curling into balls. Kyle noticed, like he had at the gas station, but this time he didn't try to hide it. His face fell and he nodded slowly, as if convincing himself of something in his own mind. Oliver felt bad for making Kyle feel bad, but when he tried to think of the words that would make it better, he came up empty. Like always. He just never knew what to say when Kyle's feelings got hurt, so he tried to refocus the conversation.

"Why don't we just bike around to the other side of the lake where everyone else is? That way, you know, we could still... hang out."

That hadn't been the right thing to say. Kyle let out a gloomy breath, his shoulders slumping, while Oliver grimaced at his word choice. Without know why, he reached out for Kyle across the chain barrier that separated them and tugged on his shirt, just a little.

Kyle bit his lip. "Oliver. I know this place is off-limits, but I came here for _you_. I thought you'd appreciate it."

"Breaking the law? You know me better than that."

"Being by ourselves." Kyle shrugged. "I thought, you know, so that no one else was around and you wouldn't have to be, I dunno, scared."

"I don't get scared, Kyle!"

"Okay, fine. Uncomfortable. Whatever. I just thought, you know, it was a chance for you to be... you." Kyle smiled, finally, and reached up a hand to pinch Oliver's chin. "You handsome devil."

Oliver couldn't help but grin, even as a blush warmed through his cheeks. Kyle could always disarm him with a simple look, a gesture.

"So whaddaya say?" Kyle's eyes glittered with mischief, and the look in them made Oliver's heart race. "You wanna join me over here on the dark side for once? Just one tiny little leap and you're there. C'mon." Dark eyebrows inched up. "You know you want to."

Unconsciously, Oliver took a step closer. They were practically flush together, only the chain separating them. Kyle's warm hand found his cheek, caressed it slightly. His eyes were soft and alluring, and all Oliver wanted to do was stare into them forever.

But, instead, he pulled back, made to turn. Kyle's hand dropped from his cheek and he could hear the heavy sigh dragging from Kyle's lips.

"Just, hold on. I'm coming," he said, looking back quickly with a smile. Kyle's eyes widened. Oliver had never seen him move so quickly from dejection to joy. The change startled him, but it also sent a warming current through his chest, and all the blood there seemed to come more alive somehow. "I just need to lock my bike."

The statement earned him a patented Kyle Lewis _What The Everlovin' Eff?_ look. "There's no one around, buddy." He swung his arms in both directions for emphasis. "I think we're safe from bicycle thieves."

Oliver rolled his eyes. He knew better. "Thieves are everywhere, Kyle. You should really lock your bike."

"Oh, whatever. It'll do what it do."

"Kyle. C'mon."

Kyle scratched his chin then gestured at his bike, propped up against a large-trunked tree. "I don't even have a lock for that thing, anyway."

For a moment, Oliver considered strapping their bikes to the tree together with his one lock, but that thought quickly vanished. Maybe Kyle would actually learn a lesson about responsibility and have it stick if his bike got stolen due to his negligence. _God_. He sounded like someone's dad.

Shrugging away that uncomfortable thought, Oliver climbed over the chain, hesitated a bit when he saw Kyle's outstretched hand, then finally took it into his own. And when Kyle's face bloomed into that bright, innocent smile the moment their skin touched, Oliver had the sudden urge to run into Kyle's arms and swing him around until they were both dizzy with laughter and youth and just being boys who liked being with each other.

He didn't do any of that though. He ducked his head low to hide his blush and let Kyle drag him the short distance out of the trees and onto the clear-skied shore.

Kyle let go of his hand while Oliver unpacked the blanket and towels out of his heavy bag. Breathing a sigh of relief for his shoulders' newfound freedom, he looked up and the world suddenly changed. Everything slowed down. The only sound in his ears was his own blood, rushing through him furiously.

His very breath was stolen from him as he watched Kyle peel off his shirt. He'd seen Kyle's back and bare arms before, but never so exposed, never in such glorious natural light. Kyle's skin was glowing, and when he looked over his shoulder and smiled, Oliver could have taken him for an angel.

Except he'd never stared so intently at those celestial paintings he'd seen growing up as he did now—at the gentle curve of the back, the shoulder blades, so smooth and fluid, yet hard and strong, the way the butt filled out those swim trunks, in perfect proportion. Well, that wasn't exactly the most angelic...

Oliver shook his head, and it seemed to snap the world back into real-time. Kyle was tugging off a sock with one hand while he rubbed sunblock onto his exposed chest with the other. He looked up at Oliver, standing there probably looking like the stupidest dweeb in all of Llantano County, and creased his brow.

"C'mon. Let's go for a swim! It's gorgeous out." Socks removed, he poked a toe into the water. "It's not too cold. I promise!"

"Are you sure we're allowed to go swimming? I thought this place was just for fishing and stuff?"

"No fishing when there's habitat restoration, Ollie," Kyle teased, shaking a very stern and serious finger at Oliver. Then that smile was back again, the heavenly one that always managed to cast a spell of peace over Oliver's heart. "It'll be fine," Kyle continued. "I'm sure our finned friends prefer that we not stab them in their mouths and then suffocate them with all this glorious spring air, doncha think?"

Oliver shoved a hand into his pocket then lifted the half-full backpack. "Um... okay. Lemme just... change into my trunks." Before Kyle could respond, Oliver headed back toward the shelter of the trees.

"Hey," he heard Kyle call out. "Where are you going?"

Oliver turned his head, then gestured toward a secluded shadow. "To—to change."

"It's not like I've never seen it before, Oliver." Kyle wiggled his eyebrows.

"I know. But... I just... it's still light out..." And as incredible as Kyle looked stripping in the natural light, Oliver knew his clumsy efforts wouldn't compare.

Before he knew what was happening, Kyle was a step away from him, panting slightly, his cheeks reddened by the quick burst of energy that brought him from the edge of shore to the midst of Oliver's personal space in the span of half a second.

Kyle looked both ways, biting his lip, and Oliver knew he was mocking his earlier caution in front of the gas station, checking to make sure they were truly alone. Then Kyle leaned in and placed the gentlest of kisses on Oliver's lips. Oliver's lips responded favorably to this pleasant hello.

"Aww." Kyle pulled back, smiling. A hand found its way onto Oliver's chest and rested there. "I love it when you get all modest on me."

Oliver suddenly found it difficult to breathe. He managed to nod, and not swallow his heavy tongue, before retreating into the safety of the trees to change into his swim gear.

His chest puffed in and out very slowly. The "L" word. Kyle had said it. In context, what did it mean? A voice inside of him, deep inside him, told him not to be stupid. He knew what it meant. What Kyle meant. What Kyle's eyes told him every time he looked at him, every time he smiled at him. It was frightening, yet somehow comforting at the same time. Like there was someone out there who saw him completely, saw every in and out of him, someone who didn't care that he couldn't undress in a public setting, who didn't care that he was a bit conservative, a bit too nervous all the time. Someone who really knew him, the real him, and still looked at him with all that... that... understanding. _No!_ the voice screamed at him. _Love_. Love love love. All that love. He loves you. You lo—

He stoppered that thought, that rebellious voice, before it could continue pouring out of him so recklessly. It was a distraction. He had to finish getting ready. Finally, he turned the corner and walked toward the shore. Kyle sat on the blanket, digging his toes into the soft ground. He turned, smiling... then burst into uproarious laughter.

Oliver frowned. "What?"

"Seriously, Oliver? You're not kidding right now?"

"Kyle. What? What's wrong?" So much for Kyle's great understanding.

"I didn't even know they made floaties for adults! Aren't those for, like, babies?" Kyle rolled onto his side, clutching his stomach while he continued his annoying little giggle fit.

"Stop making fun of me!" Oliver chose to ignore the fact that he'd just stomped his foot like a two-year old.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just... floaties! Oliver... you amaze me. You just... I don't have the words right now."

"You're such a jerk," Oliver muttered, wrapping his arms around his bare chest, as if to hide himself from sight. The inflated plastic made it more difficult than it should've been.

Kyle hopped up and rushed over to him again in that superhuman speedy way of his.

"No, wait. I mean that in a good way! You... you never stop surprising me, but in the good way, you know? Like, I never know what to expect from you, so I just stop expecting, and then every time I'm with you is like... it's like Christmas!" A smile meant to seduce curled Kyle's lips. It was succeeding at its intended purpose. "Like I get to unwrap a really, really sexy present every... single... day." Kyle's mischievous, roaming hands were on Oliver's shorts, tugging at the waistband, pulling their bare chests together. Their task accomplished, the hands were off again, wrapping around Oliver, exploring, clinging, caressing, making Oliver forget his annoyance and just melt right into the embrace.

"So, I take it you're not so much a strong swimmer?" Kyle asked into his neck.

"I've never actually, well, tried it before."

"Ollie!" Kyle pulled back, his hands on Oliver's shoulders. "Why didn't you say? We could've gone somewhere else."

"No, I mean. I've never tried, but I..." Oliver took a deep breath, then released it slowly. "I want to."

Being around Kyle made him want to try all sorts of things he had kept from himself, things he had feared, things he could never imagine opening himself up to. Parts of himself he had pushed down, denied... hated... But he didn't hate himself when he was around Kyle. It was the most amazing feeling.

"Oh," Kyle chirped. "I can teach you! Don't worry. I'm good. I used to be on the swim team!" He grabbed Oliver around the forearm and dragged him closer to the water. "We'll go slow." A warm hand was back on Oliver's face. "I promise."

Kyle did that a lot. Promised. Always reassuring, always placating. Even as it filled him with warmth, it set Oliver on edge. The scale tipped so precariously, all of the weight of this... whatever it was they were doing together, all the weight, the expectation falling on him to reciprocate. To give Kyle back what he'd faithfully been putting in. He wanted to. He wanted to so badly.

"Plus," Kyle added with a sly smile, "I'm pretty sure you'll take to it like... a Fish to water."

"Funny."

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "I know."

They waded into the water slowly. Or, at least, Oliver did. The water lapped at his calves while Kyle dove under, his pale form gliding through the dark lake like a dolphin. Oliver was waist-deep when Kyle popped back up in front of him from under the surface. His hair clung to his temples in little swirls, and Oliver couldn't help but reach out and push it back into place with his thumbs. Kyle laughed—one of his deep, rumbling laughs that would've softened even the hardest heart. Oliver's own didn't stand a chance.

"C'mon," Kyle said, urging Oliver deeper. "We gotta teach you how to float."

"Can't we do that here?" His toes dug into the soft dirt at the bottom of the lake in protest.

Kyle flicked his fingers against the floaties. "What's the point in wearing these goofy things if you're not gonna use 'em? Plus," he said, looking down for a moment, appearing almost bashful, "I'll be with you the whole time. I won't let go."

Oliver's toes released their muddy death grip, and he allowed Kyle to pull him further out. He kicked his legs when Kyle told him to, tried to move his arms as gracefully as Kyle did, but all he could seem to manage was splash half the lake into the air and swallow the other half into his mouth. But Kyle was right. The floaties helped. And Kyle's arm always seemed to know when to curl around his midsection and lift him back onto his feet.

"Am I—" he started, spitting water out of his mouth. "Am I doing okay?"

"You're doing great, pal."

"We're getting pushed out a little deeper, Kyle." His toes could no longer find steady grip at the bottom.

"Don't worry," Kyle said, his voice—his very presence reassuring. "I know CPR."

Oliver's legs froze and he began to sink a little. "That's not comforting me right now!" His flailing arms sent water into his eyes and mouth, but Kyle had swum behind him, was holding him up around the waist, keeping him afloat, and Oliver could breathe again. But just barely.

"You know," Kyle whispered in his ear. "You're kind of at my mercy right now."

Oliver's mouth dropped open, then flapped. He was sure he resembled a dying flounder. "Wh—what?"

"It's just... I bet I could get you to tell me all your secrets. All your truths, you know?"

Oliver tried to kick his legs, but they had gone completely immobile. He _was_ entirely at Kyle's mercy.

"Maybe I could finally get a straight answer out of you. Like..." Kyle paused. Oliver thought he felt the grip around his waist loosening. "Like how you really feel."

The fingers dug in, retracted again, and Oliver's mind went totally white with fear, his body completely rigid. Completely panicked.

"I—I—I—God, Kyle. I love you. I love you!"

Somewhere outside of the white cloud strangling his thoughts, he thought he heard a sharp inhalation of breath, and then he was falling, sinking, drowning, his buoyed arms straining above his head. The water was so heavy, so constraining, so impossible to escape. He was gonna die. Did he want that to be the last thing he ever said?

And in that moment, his mind cleared.

Yes. _Yes_.

And then the weight around him fell away as he crested the surface, arms tight around him, Kyle's arms, and they were moving quickly, backwards through the water. Oliver's splutters ceased and he was able to catch his breath. His aching lungs greedily sucked in as much air as they could take. Kyle gripped him tighter, so tight it almost hurt, but it felt good. He felt safe again.

His feet touched the ground and he was able to stand. Before he could fully realize what was happening, Kyle was in front of him, his eyes huge, whiter than he'd ever seen them.

Frightened hands found Oliver's face, stroking clumsily, almost randomly. "Are you okay? I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to drop you. Did you breathe in any water? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"I'm—I'm fine," he croaked out.

Kyle released a quick breath, almost sob-like, then those trembling, stroking hands brought Oliver's mouth down to his own, kissing him with a desperation Oliver hadn't felt from him since... since the beginning. Kyle's passion of late had been almost restrained, as if he were holding back for some reason. But not anymore. Kyle was all over him, pulling him out of the water, and Oliver felt like livestock being herded backwards as they stumbled together onto the shore, mouths fused. He didn't have time to think or pull away or do anything other than kiss back, his heart thudding against his chest, all his fears turned to adrenaline howling through his veins. Then he was being pushed down onto the blanket, his arms divested of their flotations. Kyle crawled on top of him, his wet thighs pressing against Oliver's sides, his mouth and arms and fingers roaming, wild, totally unconstrained, as if Oliver had unlocked a cage and released a feral animal.

His head began descending Oliver's chest, his mouth devouring every patch of skin it found, the tongue swirling around each nipple as if it couldn't survive without that vital contact.

"What—what are you doing?" Oliver moaned, his breath hitching, gasping.

"_Mmm_. Making it up to you."

"No, wait, Kyle..." Oliver tried to pull him up, but Kyle was dogged in his quest to explore lower and lower. "You're—you're tasting the lake!"

The slightest shake of the head. "Tastes perfect. _You_ taste perfect. Perfect. So amazing. You're so amazing. And perfect..."

"But... the water. You could get sick. Stop."

"Can't." Fingers loosened the drawstring of Oliver's trunks. "Need you. Now." Kyle looked up, and Oliver recognized that look in his eyes. That craving. Kyle wanted to take him inside, to _really _taste him.

Oliver threw his head back as Kyle slowly dragged the wet fabric down. The friction followed so suddenly by a smooth-handed caress nearly undid him. "Please... Kyle. The water. You'll—you'll get sick. Just..." He couldn't speak through the panting. "Just use your hand!"

Kyle's face suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Yeah?"

Oliver nodded. He spared the smallest of moments to regret being this bold out in the open, but Kyle made him not care. Nothing mattered. Nothing mattered except this.

"You are just..." Kyle closed his eyes, smiled, dove in for another untamed kiss while his hand quickly moved down to take over the job his mouth had applied for. "_Everything_."

Oliver struggled to breathe, and it was like he was in the water again, falling into the lake of Kyle and he never wanted to be pulled out. To be rescued. Because this was different. It wasn't heavy, wasn't oppressive. He wanted to drown himself in it, but it wasn't really drowning. His body felt light, and weightless. He didn't have to struggle or kick or flail. He was floating.

But he didn't want to float alone. He reached down and grabbed Kyle's shorts, tugged them until they were out of his way, and found what he was searching for. Kyle gasped into his mouth, like he always did, and it always made Oliver's whole body tighten with desire. Their strokes found a common rhythm while their mouths worked in syncopation, varying the beats and stresses and pulls of tongue and lips and teeth.

It was amazing. Everything was amazing with Kyle.

Because... Because he loved him. So much. More than anything. "Kyle. I—I—"

"_Oliver_."

Hearing Kyle's raspy voice, desperate, practically aching with each syllable, suddenly shot Oliver over the edge and he bucked and convulsed against Kyle's hand, pushing against his hard stomach, slick with lake water and Oliver's own contributions. He couldn't help but grip down harder on Kyle as he came, and then Kyle was coming too, trembling through his short thrusts, emitting a low-pitched sound that reverberated off Oliver's body, sending him into even deeper shudders.

He was floating again. Oliver smiled through his gasping breaths, and everything around him felt clear, strong, more colorful. The sun warmed his skin with its brilliant rays. The flutter of birds' wings strummed music into the air. The sound of the water lapping against the shore calmed his mind. The whole world lived in his chest, sprouting vibrant green, lush and verdant. Everything was bright and beautiful and at peace.

A shadow passed over his blinding vision of harmony. He blinked and slowly woke from his reverie. Kyle waved a hand in front of his face again.

"You okay?" He was smiling, his head resting on Oliver's shoulder.

"Better," Oliver replied.

They toweled off and resumed their place on the blanket, Kyle's head seemingly a permanent fixture on Oliver's chest. With a free arm, he reached across Oliver and dragged the bottles of beer closer. They drank in silence, breaking the lull only to remark on the interesting, but not unpleasant flavor.

"Pretty good," Kyle said, smacking his lips.

Oliver swallowed down the last drops of his third bottle. "It's all right, I guess," he teased, balancing the empty bottle next to the others.

"You know, you can—" Kyle sighed, his adam's apple bobbling. "You can take it back."

"The beer? We already drank it all."

"No." Kyle shook his head very slowly. "What you said out there. You can take it back. If you didn't mean it, I mean. I was just joking around. I wasn't trying to force you to say anything you didn't mean. It was stupid, and I'm sorry."

Oliver paused. He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. A war waged inside him. Admit it, again, with no extenuating circumstances? Deny it altogether? Or... just let it be. Let Kyle hang in confusion. He stroked a hand through Kyle's damp hair and said nothing, picking up an empty bottle with his other hand and trying to suck down any hint of liquid that might remain.

Kyle sighed again, his warm breath sticking to Oliver's chest like condensation.

Oliver closed his eyes, feeling that old pang of guilt gripping his heart as the silence lingered. But Kyle didn't say it either. He'd never said it outright. Oliver found some small comfort in that. If Kyle actually came out and said it—he wouldn't know what to do.

They lay together on the blanket for a while until Kyle slowly sat up and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "We should head back. The sun's setting."

Oliver wanted to stay and watch the sky go through its colorful transformation, but Kyle was already up, stuffing Oliver's bag with empty bottles and wet towels. They dressed in silence, but Oliver felt so many words sitting heavy on his tongue. The heaviness drenched him, those unbalanced scales hovering above him, and his heart felt like lead in his chest—until Kyle walked over and ran a hand along his arm and looked up at him with those sweet, deep eyes again. The eyes that said everything the two of them left unspoken.

Kyle grinned—a small, secret grin. "You brought _floaties_."

Laughing, Oliver shoved him away. "Will you ever shut your big mouth about that?"

"I'm sure we can't think of _something_ to otherwise occupy it."

Kyle licked his lips, and the simple task of walking suddenly became much more difficult for Oliver. But they eventually made it back to the bikes.

Well, _bike_, singular. Kyle's was nowhere to be seen.

Oliver clucked his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest. "I told you."

"Indeed you did." Kyle inspected the area around his missing bike, as if looking for clues. He lifted something out from under a nearby bush. "Excellent."

"What?"

"They didn't take my helmet." Kyle was practically beaming, which left Oliver more than a little confused.

"Huh?"

Kyle shrugged, but his smile only grew larger. "I hope they crash and become brain damaged."

"Nice."

"So," Kyle said, sidling up to Oliver like a snake-oil salesman. "Can I hop a ride with you?"

"How does _that _work?"

"You pedal, and I hang on, back here, on the seat."

"You mean I have to stand the whole time?"

"C'mon. You can do it." He grabbed hold of Oliver's arms. "You're so big and strong! But you can sit on my lap, if you need to." A sweet smile belied his devious intentions, Oliver was sure.

"Why can't _you_ do all the work while I sit and watch? You're the one who didn't take care of your bike."

"Because you lo—" Kyle froze, his smile faltering for a moment before resurfacing at full megawatt force. "Because I taught you how to swim."

"You almost let me drown."

"I'll never let you drown." Kyle took hold of Oliver's hand and brought the knuckles to his mouth for a soft kiss.

Oliver felt his shoulders drop in defeat, and he knew that Kyle knew that he had just won the day.

Perched behind him on the bicycle seat, Kyle wrapped his arms around Oliver's chest tightly, his legs clinging to Oliver's, molded to them, moving with them as he slowly pedaled, like they never wanted to be apart from him. Oliver felt Kyle's face pressed against his back, could feel his steady breaths through the thin fabric of his shirt, and he suddenly didn't care that he was doing all the work. He thought... maybe it was his turn for that.

An idea struck him, and he turned his head to the side. "Hey, I was thinking..."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe next weekend, you know, we could go back to the lake and, well..." Oliver cleared his throat. "Maybe you could give me another swimming lesson? It's just an idea, but..."

Kyle's hand squeezed Oliver's chest, right over his heart.

"I—I love it."

Oliver breathed deep. The floating feeling was back. He un-gripped a handlebar and covered the hand on his chest. "I love it too."

The scales that had been looming over him, that had been forever weighed down by his multitude of Kyle-guilts, threatening to topple, to crush him, suddenly pulled back and settled. His world—his _soul_ finally felt... balanced.


End file.
